Discovering Calvary

By Ola P. C. Maduekwe

Calvary is the place where Jesus Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice for the redemption of mankind and for our sanctification and where he answered to every litigation of the accuser against us. Calvary invariably represents the cross as the cross represents our savior, Jesus Christ.

Man on earth is on a journey of discovering, and this search can only have a positive end when it culminates at the knowledge and acceptance of our Lord Jesus as a personal savior, friend, redeemer, and God.

Man has been given the right to choose between good and evil at all times but not the right to choose his destiny, his fate, or the circumstance of his life.

Discovering Calvary has been a journey of twenty-one years. The hero of this novel, Samuel Okorie, is a young Nigerian youth born into an orthodox Christian family. The plot takes us through both his physical and spiritual journey from the tender age of about eight years old to maturity.

Samuel eventually attains maturity not by succumbing to stronger (spiritual) forces or stronger arguments on lifes ideas and Christian tenets but by making decisive personal choices.

Discovering Calvary, therefore, is about this journey. In the plot of the story, the reader is exposed, along with the hero, to some aberrations that inadvertently exist in the lives of avowed Christians.

The reader sees Samuel Okorie forced by circumstances beyond his control to discover life truths and standard Christian tenets. The readers sympathy might be aroused because she/he identifies with the hero and feels his pain. The reader rejoices at Samuels eventual victory at the discovery of Calvary.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973627012

Ola P. C. Maduekwe

Ola P.C. Maduekwe is a mother to seven children three women and four men; and Grandma to two lovely boys. She loves reading, writing, and sketch drawing. From 1971 to 1975, Ola attended Queens School Enugu for her Secondary Education. From 1977 to 1979 she was a student of Federal Government Girls College Owerri for her Higher School Certificate. While at Federal Government Girls College, she won the Second Prize at the John F Kennedy Essay Competition. She also made her mark as a prime student in essay writing and poetry. In 1981, Ola graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English language and Education from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Ola is currently a Public Servant at a Parastatal in Nigeria.

Book preview

Copyright © 2018 OLA P.C. MADUEKWE.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-2702-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-2703-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-2701-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018905075

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/21/2018

Contents

Dedication

Epigraph

Acknowledgement

Introduction

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Epilogue

Afterword

Glossary

Discussion Questions

About the Author

Dedication

To Pastor Ina Omakwu (1958 -2003)

My pastor,

The founder of Family Worship Centre, Abuja, Nigeria

The man who wore humility like a cloak.

Epigraph

Life’s journey gets wearisome

We seek a reason

To give life a meaning

Series of miles stones attained

Yet, no peace

Till we discover Calvary

Ola P.C. Maduekwe

Acknowledgement

Discovering Calvary has been a journey of twenty-one years. In this space of time, the All-Knowing Father brought into my life people who influenced the ideas and life experiences that helped formed the bricks which shaped this book. It is to these people and many more that I owe my gratitude.

To my mother – Mrs Ijeoma Juliet Kalu. You were my best friend and confidant, until you left us on the 26th of February 2014 to be with our Father in Heaven. Your avid love for reading first ignited the fire in me. I will always love you. I miss you Mma. My many thanks to you.

My profound gratitude goes to Hon. Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, the Dike Chendu of Ohafia. Thank you for the Roget’s Thesaurus and for giving me the opportunity to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Children, the Bible says, are a gift from God, I am grateful to God for these gifts of seven – Ularinma, Nky, Mony, Umy, Kesa, Iyke, and Nene. You have been the physical skeletal frame that supports me and my closest friends. I will continually value your unflinching corrections. I love you.

My gratitude also goes to my son-in-law, Finny. Thank you for being a son in every sense of the word. Also, my lovely grandkids – Jason and Nathan. I love you.

To Martha Quaghe, Mrs. Chinyere Ezike, Emmanuel Eyo Effiom Eyo, Lawrencia Bassey, Iwada Dr. Meg Atsu, Immaculate Atsu; angels both in Abuja and Calabar. Thank you for making yourself available to be used by God to take care of me.

To the Senior Pastor of Christ Diplomat Church, Calabar. Yosef Efiom. Thank you, Papa, for being the oracle that the Holy Spirit used to awaken the dead bones of this book to life and eventual completion.

Above all, to those I was unable to mention, I want you to know that I love you all very much and I am eternally grateful for your role in making Discovering Calvary a reality. May God bless you all, my many thanks.

Introduction

Calvary is the place where Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for the redemption of mankind, for our sanctification. Where He answered to every litigation of the accuser against us. Calvary invariably represents the Cross as the Cross represents our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Man, on earth is on a journey of discovering and this search can only have a positive end when it culminates at the knowledge, and acceptance of our Lord Jesus as a personal Saviour, friend Redeemer and God.

Man has always been given the right to choose between good and evil, but not the right to choose his destiny, his fate or the circumstance of his life.

The hero of this novel, Samuel Okorie is a young Nigerian youth, Born into an orthodox Christian family. The plot takes us through both his physical and spiritual journey from the tender age of about eight years old to maturity.

Samuel eventually attains maturity, not by succumbing to stronger (spiritual) forces or stronger arguments on life’s ideas and Christian tenets; but by making decisive personal choices.

Discovering Calvary therefore is about this journey. In the plot of the story, the reader is exposed along with the hero, to some aberrations that inadvertently exist in the lives of avowed African Christians.

The reader sees Samuel Okorie, forced by circumstances beyond his control, to discover life truth and standard Christian tenets. The reader’s sympathy might be aroused because she/he identifies with the hero and feels his pain. The reader rejoices at Samuel’s eventual victory at the Discovery of Calvary.

Prologue

You have to listen to me! he screamed, tears rolling down his eyes. Please listen to me, he continued pleading with the people wandering aimlessly. The end has come! The end has come! We need to repent! The time is here! Please, give your life to Christ!

He was in the middle of Wuse Market Centre. The sky was dark, there was no sun. A feeling of restlessness in the atmosphere as if the spirit of peace had left the earth. People walked around, rushing everywhere but heading nowhere. His pleading fell on deaf ears, as people continued their zombie like movement, unperturbed by the sight of a man kneeling, crying, and screaming for repentance.

Like the prophets of old, Samuel continued screaming in his already hoarse voice. Repent! Please. Let’s turn back to Christ! He will forgive us. Jesus died for our sins. Please repent, turn back!

Samuel tries reaching out to a young man dressed in a pristine designer suite. This is the time to repent and turn to God, Sir, he entreats. Please turn to Jesus, the Saviour of our soul, repent! The young man, appalled by Samuel’s audacity, wrests his wrist from his hold; and as he does that, Samuel sees the number 666 imprinted on the young man’s wrist. Immediately, Samuel lets go of the wrist like he had just touched fire.

As if on cue, sirens start blaring; there was noise everywhere. Men and women dressed like Roman soldiers Samuel used to see in ancient Roman movies, dropped down combo-style from an object which looked like one of those identified flying objects (IFOs) he saw in movies – round like a disk, with neon flashing lights. The soldiers looked angry and menacing. They had dangerous whips with which they used to flog everyone in sight, at no provocation. The whip looked like the type known as ‘scorpion’ which Samuel recalled seeing the soldiers use to flog Jesus, in the Passion of the Christ movie.

Samuel could not understand what was happening. Everything looked, seemed, and felt strange. Why the commotion? Why the number 666? Is this rapture? Samuel asked himself. Have I been left behind? As Samuel tried to comprehend his situation, Roman soldiers on separate hover boards speed towards him, with their whip mid-air, ready to strike him.

Looking straight at those terrifying eyes and understanding the imminent pain, Samuel tries to shield his head with his arms, screaming Nooooo!!!

Chapter One

27240.jpg

S amuel was born into a Christian family. His parents believed they were sound Christians and affirmed the same whenever the need arose. Whenever Mr. Chukwuma Okorie, Samuel’s father, filled in any form, he was always proud and happy to write ‘Christianity’ in the religion section. He had no iota of doubt in his mind that he was well qualified to identify himself as a Christian. His parents had been Christians. In fact, his father, Mazi Kalu Okorie, was one of the first people to accept Christianity when the Scottish missionaries appeared in their village of Isiaga. Mazi Kalu Okorie was the first ordained Presbyterian elder in their village of Isiaga. He was a very successful farmer and highly regarded among his people.

Christianity came with its twin sister – Western education. The Isiaga people were not favourable towards Western education because it negatively affected agriculture their major livelihood. The missionaries insisted on drafting the young men who formed the bedrock of farming into this new madness. They left for school very early in the morning and came back midday. By then it was too late to help on the farms. The missionaries told the people of Isiaga that other villages surpassed them in embracing Western education, so their young men were educated and working in the medicine, law and teaching professions. The missionaries espoused the advantages of Western education to the Isiaga villagers. Among the white missionaries were some black Igbo- speaking men (though with a strange dialect) who were skilled teachers.

Some families released their children, but these were usually the lazy or weak ones. Sons who ignored their parents’ misgiving and joined the white man’s school were told in very clear terms by their parents that they should forget about eating. There was no way they could come back home to eat after spending the whole day gallivanting and romancing the white man’s stupid form of education; where teachers wrote terms on the blackboard and insisted that their pupils repeat the pronunciation. What a waste of youth!

However, Mazi Okorie had a strong conviction – rare among his people – that the white man’s education was good, like his religion, which stopped the killing of twin babies. He believed it was wrong to kill the innocent babies just because they came together from the same womb. One of the most painful experiences of his life occurred when his very dear sister, Orie, had a set of twins after ten years of a fruitless marriage. Her very patient husband remarried after the babies were thrown into the evil forest. Not long afterwards Orie died of unhappiness. Mazi Okorie had never been able to forgive that cruel aspect of Isiaga tradition.

Mazi Okorie believed that this Western education had the potential for future progress. Unfortunately for him, although he married early, he was yet to have a son. However, he was not deterred; he was bent on keying into whatever blessing Western education rendered. Thus, he approached the young men whose parents had thrown out of their homes because they embraced Western education and assured them he would provide their food. They did not have to follow him to the farm. Mazi Okorie’s kindness boosted the progress of education in the village, and more young men were encouraged to join the school.

The school in Isiaga was primary level. To gain higher education, the graduates had to leave for the neighbouring village – Akanma – which was across the river. Akanma accepted Western education before Isiaga and progressed to having secondary schools and teacher -training colleges.

These Isiaga pioneer students came back to the village years later very much changed. They looked very important and dressed like the white missionaries in suits and ties and wore socks and shoes. They cut their hair in a peculiar style that made them look even more different from the rest of the villagers. They came back with gratitude in their hearts for Mazi Okorie who made it possible for them to attain this education.

On their return, however, they learned that Mazi Okorie died, leaving a young widow and a baby. He did not live long enough to see the baby boy grow into a young man. These pioneer students mourned Mazi Okorie dearly in their hearts and swore among themselves to make sure the young son, Chukwuma, attained the highest level of education he was willing to attain.

Thus, Chukwuma Okorie was able to attend school based on the collective funding provided by the pioneer students. This kind gesture, honouring the memory of his father, gladdened his heart. For those men to remember what his father did for them, even when they did not see him alive, showed they were good men. Even in the Bible when Jesus healed ten lepers, only one returned to say thank you.’’ Chukwuma Okorie was grateful to the men who honoured the memory of his father, by coming back to collectively to say, Thank you.’’

Consequent of the scholarship from this group, Chukwuma Okorie was trained to degree level. He was sent to England to pursue a Master of Science degree in economics at the University of Cambridge. This degree ensured that he got a well-paying job from the Nigerian government on his return. Chukwuma Okorie’s benefactors insisted they didn’t want him to pay them back. However, on his own, he vowed to give scholarship to at least one person to express his gratitude to God.

Accordingly, Chukwuma Okorie was proud to identify entirely with Christianity. He was an ardent church goer and participated completely in every church activity. He had been president of the men fellowship group and an ordained church elder. He established a family altar in his house where he presided every morning and evening. He married Abigail, a pretty, well-brought up girl from a Christian home. Judging by every outward appearance Chukwuma Okorie’s family was every inch the bill board of what a Christian family should look like.

This was the family Samuel was born into. His parents were very particular about Sundays. A special budget was made every month concerning church attendance. This took care of special church dresses, shoes, socks, tithes, and even church offerings.

Samuel never forgot the lesson he learnt at the age of seven. As it were, along with some Sunday school friends, he had the habit of skipping the church offering plate. When was passed in front of them, they pretended to be too busy clapping hands to the worship chorus to notice it. At the close of Sunday school, they ran to the nearest groundnut or puff-puff seller and bought themselves something nice to munch while waiting for the adults to dismiss from main church.

The adults loved talking for long hours after the church service. They never got tired of exchanging pleasantries. Even with his mother’s close friend, whom she saw five days a week, as they were both teachers in the same secondary school and shared the same table in the staff room. They talked after services endlessly like they had not seen each other for years. His father, on the other hand, always convened an emergency meeting for his men’s fellowship group. What they discussed in those meetings, Samuel could not understand. Using the offering money to settle the raging war in his tummy while he waited for his parents; did not feel like a bad thing to do. In fact, as far as he was concerned, everything was in line with the providence of God who understood and provided for his every need. Meeting the hunger pangs certainly qualified as such.

One day, his mother, Abigail Okorie saw his mouth moving. She thought, maybe the Sunday school teachers distributed snacks today. Or maybe…? Well, I better ask. Ah, my pet, she fondly called him, did you people have a special get-to-together today. Or did one of you celebrate his birthday today? Samuel stared at her not comprehending. I mean, did your Sunday school aunt give you people something to eat to celebrate something? Abigail explained, her hand placed lovingly on his head.

Mommy, they did not give us anything, Samuel’s elder sister, Nky answered before Samuel could think of a suitable response. Like a radio without battery (amebo) that was how he saw it. Nky continued to give her report. Mommy, you don’t know that Samuel has joined a group of bad friends. They don’t put their collection money into the offering plate. They wait till after church; and use it to buy groundnuts and snacks. Nky smiled innocently.

Abigail was dumbfounded and could not believe her ears! Was this not her special son, Samuel? The one God gave to her like the other Samuel was given to Hannah in the Bible. Was he now behaving like the sons of Eli, who were cursed by God for tampering with the sacrifice meant for God? God forbid that her own Samuel would take after such bad boys!

Abigail was so enraged that she forgot they were still in church premises. She grabbed him by both ears and pulled him up from the ground. Before Samuel could fathom the situation, he received a very big knock on his head. His cry of pain rang out. His father protested. Woman, can’t you wait till we get home?

Wait till we get home? Abigail looked at him like he had just sprouted two long ears. He stole from God, She exclaimed. "Chei!! Don’t you know it is a bad thing for a little boy?"

He is just a little boy, Abigail. You should take your time and explain to him properly. Do not to use it as an excuse to attract the attention of the whole church. Please, all of you enter the car, his father instructed.

The whole episode cost him the head of the Sunday chicken which was part of his birth-right as the first son of the family. His mother gave the chicken head to Tochukwu, the house boy. By the time his father got to know about it, Tochukwu had eaten the greater part of the chicken’s head. His father was of a contrary opinion. He felt that the best thing should have been to postpone the eating of the chicken’s head till a later meal, other than the Sunday meal; certainly not to deny him his birth-right completely. Chukwuma Okorie didn’t want his one and only son to lose his place to a servant.

Be that as it may, the message sank in. Samuel learnt the meaning the bible warning to remember the day of rest and to keep it holy. Everything about Sunday is untouchable. Later, as an adult, when the issue of tithing came up, he remembered the ‘Sunday chicken head.’

Chapter Two

27240.jpg

O Father in heaven

Bless this day we pray

Teach us to know

Praise and adore you

Each day as we pray

S amuel’s voice rang out as he sang the prayer song – attributed to St Richard of Chichester – with his class mates. He loved this song. It was short, rhythmic and therefore easy to memorise. It was also the song that closed each